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NEW: MTG Takes Major Action Against NPR, PBS

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Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE) Chairwoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) is taking aim at National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), calling their taxpayer-funded news coverage blatantly partisan.

On Monday, Greene invited the CEOs of both organizations to testify before Congress about their systemic bias and failure to serve the full spectrum of the American public. Greene is requesting that NPR CEO Katherine Maher and PBS leadership appear before the subcommittee during the weeks of March 3 or March 24 to explain why their federally funded content is overwhelmingly left-leaning and fails to provide balanced reporting.

In a letter sent to Maher, Greene cited NPR’s decision to ignore the Hunter Biden laptop story in the crucial weeks before the 2020 election. At the time, NPR dismissed the bombshell report, stating, “[w]e don’t want to waste our time on stories that are not really stories, and we don’t want to waste the listeners’ and readers’ time on stories that are just pure distractions.”

“The Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (Subcommittee) is planning a hearing on federally funded radio and television, including its systemically biased content. The Subcommittee is concerned by National Public Radio’s (NPR) blatantly ideological and partisan coverage and looks forward to your participation in our upcoming hearing. The Subcommittee seeks to better understand NPR’s position on providing Americans with accurate information,” wrote Greene in her letter to NPR.

“This hearing is an opportunity for you to explain to Congress and the American people why federal funds should be used for public radio—particularly the sort of content produced by NPR,” she continued.

Shanghai, China-Nov. 22nd 2023: National Public Radio (NPR) company brand logo on official website

The latest inquiry comes amid mounting evidence of bias within NPR. In April 2024, longtime NPR senior business editor Uri Berliner blew the whistle on the organization’s increasingly ideological slant.

In an op-ed, Berliner criticized NPR for catering solely to a left-leaning audience, describing its coverage as an “assembly line” of stories on topics like racial grievances, climate alarmism, and Republican villainization.

PBS has faced similar scrutiny. The network was slammed for misleadingly implying that Elon Musk made a fascist salute during an event tied to President Donald Trump. The false narrative fed into the concern that PBS, like NPR, is using public funds to push an agenda rather than reporting facts.

“This sort of bias betrays the principles of objective reporting and undermines public trust. As an organization that receives federal funds channeled through its member stations, PBS should provide reporting that serves the entire public, not just a narrow slice of like-minded individuals and ideological interest groups,” wrote Greene.

In November, Rep. Greene was appointed to chair a new House Oversight subcommittee dedicated to collaborating with DOGE. The department, initiated by President Donald Trump and led by Elon Musk, aims to identify and eliminate wasteful government spending.

In January, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr launched an investigation into the underwriting practices of NPR and PBS. Carr mentioned that the results of this investigation might influence future congressional decisions about federal funding for these organizations.

NPR’s CEO, Katherine Maher, conveyed confidence in their practices, stating, “We are confident any review of our programming and underwriting practices will confirm NPR’s adherence to these rules.” PBS President Paula Kerger also emphasized their readiness to demonstrate compliance.

This investigation is part of broader criticism from conservative figures, including President Donald Trump, who has advocated for defunding these public broadcasters and labeled NPR a “liberal disinformation machine.”